Method of making shoes



July 11, 1944. s GALLO 2,353,396

METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Filed Feb. 1, 1943 IN VEN TOR.

Patented July 11, 1944 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to the construction of shoes, and more especially to the attaching of shoe uppers to the soles.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved method for making open-toed footwear without a last. The invention includes a plate shaped to the desired contour of the portion of the sole to which an upper is to be connected. The upper is preferably marked to indicate the line along which it must be bent when connectff ing it with the sole. The sole is preferably split along its marginal edge for receiving the edge lportions of the upper, but the invention can also Figure 2 is a side view, mostly in section, taken along the line 2 2 of Figure 7, showing the sole illustrated in Figure l, but with the rearward portion of the sole connected with a heel.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are perspective views, on

a reduced scale, showing shoes made in accordf ance with this invention.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view, mostly in section, showing the manner in which an upper is connected with the sole, the section through the sole being taken on the line 6--6 of Figure 1, the binding around the edge of the sole being omitted for greater clearness in the drawing.

Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the shoe structure shown in Figure 2.

Figures 8 and 9 are sectional views taken Von the lines 8-8 and 9 9 of Figure 7.

The sole of this invention includes a forward portion I'Il which is made of wear-resistant material, preferably leather. This sole maybe made with an inner and outer sole connected together, but is preferably made of one piece split inwardly from its marginal edges. 'The lsplit is indicated by the reference character I'I, and in Figure 1 the sole is shown upside down with the outer iiap` bent away from the inner portion of the sole. In'all of the other views, except Figure '7, the construction is oriented so that the bottom portion Vof the sole is downward. The dotted line indicated by the reference character II in Figure '7 shows the depth of the split inward `from the marginal edge of the forward portion of the sole. Y

Referring again to Figure l, the upper portion of the sole, that is, the portion abovey the split `II, is 4trimmed back toform .an edge I2. Inner portions of this edge which are exposed through the open toe of 'the finished shoe, or through other open work of the shoe upper, and the corresponding edge o`f the rearward portion I4, which is visible in the iinished shoe, is covered by edge binding I"I held in place by cement.

The rearward portion I4 of the sole comprises an insole `portion to which strength is imparted by `a metal shank stiifener I8 which is preferably countersunk into a groove in the lower surface of the insole portion I4 as shown in Figure 1. The shank stiffener I8 is held in place by the cement and may also be held at its ends by rivets I9.

The outsole portion 2I that divides toward its rearward end into a middle flap 24 and heel breast 25. |Ihe middle flap 21! is preferably thicker than the heel breast 25.

`Figure I6 `shows the manner in which an upper, such as a vamp '28, is connected with the sole Iii. The sp'it VII lis opened by bending down the outer flap 29 and the lower marginal edge 3| of the vamp 28 vis inserted into the split II for the proper distance. The extent to which the mar- `ginal edge of 'the vamp 28 is to be inserted into the split II is preferably determined by markings 3'2 or '33 on the surface of the vamp 28. This marking 32 vand 33 indicates the line along which the vamp must be bent inward. The line 32 is on the outside surface of the vamp. The line 33 is on the 'inside surface. For some styles of upper it is easier to use an outside marking 32, for other styles, 4the inside marking 33 is preferred. The outside and inside markings are not both essential on the same upper, but it is preferable to have both markings. The inner marking 33 is generally the more convenient to use in determining how far into the split II -I the Velige of the shoe upper should be inserted. 'Theouter surface of the vamp 28, which is to be cemented to fthe flap 29, is roughened before the vamp is attached to the shoe. The outer mark ing 32 is useful in determining how far back from the edge the vamp should be roughened.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 show different styles of shoes that can -be made in accordance with this invention. yFigure 3 shows an open toe pump. In this style of shoe the edge I2 of the inner flap is not visible anywhere except at the toe of the shoe. Figure 4 shows a shoe having an open toe,

ing the proper location for the forward ends of the uppers. In a shoe of the style shown in ,Figure 4 there is a similarsmark 36, see Figures 1 and 2, indicating the proper location of the rearward edge of the vamp 28. These marks 34 and 36 make it possible to put the vamp in place more quickly when connecting it with the sole, and such marks are particularly helpful in cases where the shoes are made by less experienced persons. The shoe shown in Figure 4 also has marks on the sole for indicating the correct location forfconnecting the straps 35 with the sole. Similarly the shoe shown in Figure 5 preferably has marks on the sole at the correct location for the rearward edge of the upper.

The marginal edge 3| (Fig. 6) of the upper 28 is preferably roughened on both the inside and outside and covered with latex cement before being inserted into the split After the marginal edge 3| has been inserted for the proper distance between the iiaps of the half-sole I8, the outer flap 29 is bent back parallel with the remainder of the sole Ill as shown on the left hand side of Figure 6. It is necessary to hold the sole to the desired contour of the nished shoe during the time that the upper 28 is being connected with the sole l0, and even more important while connecting the upper with the shank portion of the sole. Such stiffness can be obtained by putting a shoe on a last, but it is a feature of this invention that the shoe can be constructed without a last, and this is made possible by placing a metal plate 38 over the top, that is, the inner side of the insole, to lprovide the necessary stiffness while the upper is being connected with the sole. The plate 38 has the same shape as the bottom of the last that would be used for a shoe of the same size.

The plate 38 is shown in Figures 2, 6 and 8. This plate is preferably held. in place by small tacks 39, which are located at three points along the center of the plate and at locations where they can be easily removed after the upper has been connected with the sole. The tack 39 nearest the toe is removed through the open toe of the nished shoe. The plate 38 is ypreferably made of iron, though other material of sufficient rigidity is suitable. The use of the plateV 38 instead of a last makes it possible to construct the shoe more quickly, at lower cost, and with less highly skilled labor.

A heel 4| is connected with the rearward porl tion I4 of the sole by a screw 42 that passes through the upperl end of the shank stiffener I8. The upper surface of the heel 4| is concave, in the usual manner, and the rearward end portion of the shank sole Z4 overlies this recessed surface, as shown in Figure 2. The heel breast 25 is cemented to the surface of the heel and trimmed.

When making shoes without a last, this invention is limited to open-toed shoes, and it can be used for slippers having heel straps, or open heels as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. When making closed heel footwear, as shown in Fig. 3, the shoe is put on a last to last the heel only.

In order to obtain a smoother contour at the forward and rearward ends of the upper, or at the regions where the straps 35 are connected with the sole, the marginal edges of the inner flap or shank sole I4 are preferably skived or beveled. The beveled surfaces at the rearward end of the upper are indicated by the reference character 44 in Figure 9. A similar construction is used where a heel strap is connected with the sole, the effect in any case being to make the outside surface of the upper or strap substantially flush with the sole. The skiving is done before edge binding is applied to the sole.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated, but changes and modifications can be made and some features used without others without departing from the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. The method of making open-toe footwear without a last, which method comprises detachably fastening to the upper surface of a sole a stiff plate that has the desired shape of the Sole of the completed shoe, coating the marginal edges of the sole and an upper with cement, allowing time for the cement to become tacky, then applying the upper to the sole by bending the upper inward to bring the cemented surface of the upper into contact with the cemented surface of the sole while holding the unlasted shoe parts in the hands of the operator, and after the upper is secured in place removing the fastenings by which the stiff plate is secured to the sole, and withdrawing the plate from within the shoe.

2. The method of making open-toe footwear without a last, which method comprises detachably fastening to the upper surface of a sole a stiff plate that has the desired shape of the sole of the completed shoe, coating the marginal edges of the sole and an upper with cement, allowing time for the cement to become tacky, then joining the upper and sole, on one of which markings are provided for indicating how much of the upper should overlap the sole, said joining being accomplished by applying the upper to the sole and bending the upper inward in accordance with said markings to bring the cemented surface of the upper into contact with the cement surface of the sole while holding the unlasted shoe parts in the hands of the operator, and after the upper is secured in .place removing the fastenings by which the stiff plate is secured to the sole, and withdrawing the plate from Within the shoe.

3. The method of making open-toe footwear without a last which method comprises providing a sole which is split inward from its marginal edge around a portion of its circumference to form upper and lower flaps along the part of the edge that is to be joined with an upper, detachably securing to the upper surface of the sole a rigid plate that has the desired contour of the finished shoe, the rigid plate being secured to the sole by fastening the plate to the sole at a central .point near the toe of the shoe and at another point nearer the mid-portion of the sole, coating the confronting faces of the upper and lower flaps of the sole with cement, coating the edges of the upper with cement, and with the lower flap turned down and after the cement has become tacky, inserting the marginal edges of the upper between the flaps and while holding the unlasted shoe parts in the hands of the operator, pressing the lower flap uuward against the edges of the upper, and thereafter detaching the rigid plate from the sole.

SEBASTIANO GALLO.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent Nm 2,555,596. July 11, 19ML.,

SEBASTIANO GALLO It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent'requri'ng correction as follows: Page l, second column, line 2.6, for spit read spltg page 2, second column, line read jupwar-d; and that the said Letters Patent should be readvwth this correction therein that the same may'conform to the record of the case in the Patent` Of ce..

Signed and sealed this 22nd day of August, A. D.. 1914A Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents., 

